Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-12-03

out Vi blC HOhSI Ah~ AssNS ~ @"A
meeting place.
II watched TO see her come out
that morning at milking time ,in,end
ing TO hurry over and try to square
matters with her, for | had conclud.
ed to leave and so to sea for awhile
But she didn't come out, for the rea-
son, as found out long after, that
when | left the night before, old Ba-
zine had abused me until she stood
up for me, then he turned on her
and struck her, and she had left the
house at once and gone TO girl
friend two miles away. | saw some
things through this glass that morn
ing, but thought nothing of them at
the time. When my boss showed
up at breakfast | demanded my
wages-was going to leave at once
would give no reason. l was paid,
and hurried away, feeling mad at
myself and all creation. | walked
to the town, took the stage, went to
the railroad and rushed for New
York, where I shipped at once on a
packet bound for California, and we
sailed the same evening. This vas
in 40, mind you.
ave went round the. Horn and
made port all safe. Then got the
gold fever and struck off for the
mines. Four years ! worked and at
the end was only about $4,000 ahead.
l longed to go back to civilization
for while. and ! started for the on.
ly place on land where could hope
for welcome-Round Lake ; |
wanted to hear something of Jean,
too.
81 reached there, surprised my
old boss, who said he had heard i
was dead. He invited me in, though
somehow he didn't seem very hearty
in his welcome. [ sat there an hour
when in comes two constables, claps
irons on me, and shows me "a war
rant for nay arrest-for the murder
of old Monseer and Missus Bazine.
"Of course I objected 'twern't no
use. I landed in the town Jail.
There I heard the first I knew of the
matter. 1t seems that about 7
O'Clock on the morning / left Round
Lake so suddenly, Peter Carter had
rushed to the nearest neighbors and
informed them that the old couple
had been murdered, their bodies car
risd off and the house robbed. He
had slept with 8 friond, he said. a
mile away. Jean had left, and the
old people we're alone. Their beds
were covered with blood, and the
house all turned up.
"Whom did he suspect?
"Who, me-Ben Martin, who had
been there the night before drunk,
quarreling with the old man, ours
ing and threatening him.
Il was looked for, my haste in
leaving and refusal to tell why, my
every action convinced all of my
guilt. | was traced to New York,
to the ship in which I sailed, but in
those days there was no way Of tele
graphing ahead to stop me. There
was a Ben Marlin also in the crew,
and he died Of the tremens on the
second day out. This found its way
in the papers, and the people inter
ested concluded that Ben Marlin was
a mistake for Martin, and that l was
gone.
'Well, I was in q pretty bad fix
But sends for lawyer and gives
him five hundred out of my pile. He
was a mighty white chap-even ifhe
was lawyer-I'd been overhauline
my memory and gave him some
points. He went to work on ZEN
with will.
"The day of the trial came, and il
was big day in that town. Peter
Carter swore dead against mellow
| cursed and threatened the old man
how had been seen lettering around
near the house afterward. He be